The creation was paradisiacal. There was no mortality.
Death for all forms of life began when Adam fell.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

A Spurious First Presidency Statement on Evolution

On its "Official Statements" page, tungate.com quotes what it calls the "1910 First Presidency Statement on Evolution." The title is spurious because there was no 1910 First Presidency statement on evolution. The quoted comment did not originate with the First Presidency (click here). It doesn't even represent the thinking of Church President Joseph F. Smith.

Eyring-L quotes the same article as "1910 Improvement Era Editorial" with the claim that it was "carefully reviewed" by the First Presidency as clarification of the November 1909 statement on "The Origin of Man."

The Eyring-L claim is pure speculation. There is no evidence that the 1910 comment was published with First Presidency approval and there is substantial evidence that it was not (click here).

Eyring-L and tungate.com are looking for First Presidency support where it doesn't exist. And apparently, President Joseph F. Smith's thinking on the subject is (to them) irrelevant.